Article
Environmental Sciences
Sahar S. Dalahmeh, Gunnar Thorsen, Hakan Jonsson
Summary: During a 12-month study in Sweden, it was found that open-air storage without composting showed effective removal of hormones and antibiotics, but lower removal of pharmaceutically active substances. Composting resulted in degradation of hormones and a noticeable difference in concentrations of pharmaceuticals between the top and deeper layers of sludge piles.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kleopatra Miserli, Christina Kosma, Ioannis Konstantinou
Summary: Pharmaceuticals released from wastewater treatment plants are emerging contaminants that can have biological effects at low concentrations. Conventional wastewater treatment methods are unable to completely remove these contaminants, leading to their presence in sewage sludge. This study developed a method to detect pharmaceuticals in sewage sludge and hydrochar using a combination of extraction and chromatography techniques. The method was successful in detecting various pharmaceutical compounds in the samples tested.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Ihsanullah Ihsanullah, Muhammad Tariq Khan, Mukarram Zubair, Muhammad Bilal, Muhammad Sajid
Summary: This review critically evaluates the recent progress in applications of sludge-based biochar for the adsorption of pharmaceuticals from water, highlighting its excellent potential for the removal of numerous pharmaceuticals. The effects of synthesis techniques of biochar production from sludge on the physicochemical characteristics of produced biochar and their adsorption performance are discussed, with a focus on reusability.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kyra M. Spaan, Fredric Seilitz, Merle M. Plassmann, Cynthia A. de Wit, Jonathan P. Benskin
Summary: Fluorine mass balance studies in municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sludge showed that conventional per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) account for only a small fraction (approximately 2%) of the extractable organic fluorine (EOF). The remaining EOF, which includes fluorine-containing pharmaceuticals and pesticides, was identified using high resolution mass spectrometry-based suspect screening. The presence of various pharmaceutical substances, pesticides, and conventional PFAS was confirmed, expanding the known EOF percentage from 2% to 27%. These findings highlight the importance of considering unconventional and non-PFAS organofluorine substances in addition to conventional PFAS when assessing the organofluorine mass balance in WWTP sludge.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Wioleta Bolesta, Marcin Glodniok, Michal Pieczonka, Katarzyna Styszko
Summary: Sewage sludge is an inevitable byproduct of wastewater treatment, containing micropollutants like pharmaceutical residues. The reduction of different compounds in the treatment process varies, with some potentially impacting the safe use of sludge. Methods for determining antibiotics and endocrine disruptors in sewage sludge are crucial for assessing its safe use in agriculture and promoting a circular economy in sludge management.
DESALINATION AND WATER TREATMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Senar Aydin, Arzu Ulvi, Fatma Beduk, Mehmet Emin Aydin
Summary: The occurrences, temporal variations and ecotoxicological risks of 38 selected pharmaceuticals from 7 therapeutic classes have been observed in the anaerobically treated sludge of the urban wastewater treatment plant in Konya, Turkey. The total concentrations of all pharmaceutical compounds ranged from 280 to 4898 μg/kg of dry matter. The dominant therapeutic class was analgesics and anti-inflammatories, and the use of treated sludge as fertilizer in agricultural lands causes continuous contamination of the terrestrial environment by pharmaceuticals.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Wioleta Bolesta, Marcin Glodniok, Katarzyna Styszko
Summary: Sewage sludge used in agriculture contains micropollutants, especially pharmaceuticals, which have a negative impact on the environment. Research is needed to understand the fate of these micropollutants in soil and their physicochemical properties to assess the safety of using sludge in agriculture.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Francesco Riva, Ettore Zuccato, Carlo Pacciani, Andrea Colombo, Sara Castiglioni
Summary: Sewage sludge is a by-product of wastewater treatment processes and may contain a wide range of contaminants. A study in Italy developed a reliable method to analyze 44 emerging contaminants in sewage sludge, with pharmaceuticals and perfluorinated substances being the most prominent. The study found seasonal differences and variations in concentration of contaminants compared to other European countries, providing valuable information for future regulatory actions.
ANALYTICAL METHODS
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Carmen Mejias, Julia Martin, Juan Luis Santos, Irene Aparicio, Esteban Alonso
Summary: This review paper outlines recent research on the occurrence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) and their metabolites in sewage treatment lines, including analytical methods, concentration levels, distribution patterns, and their impact on sludge-amended agricultural land.
TRENDS IN ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Benjamin H. Maskrey, Karl Dean, Nadine Morrell, Andrew D. Turner
Summary: A simple and rapid UHPLC-MS/MS method has been developed for quantifying pharmaceuticals and metabolites in bivalve molluscs, demonstrating good performance in terms of extraction efficiencies and sensitivity.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
T. Leiviska, S. Risteela
Summary: The study examined the occurrence of pharmaceuticals, hormones, and bacterial community structures at a wastewater treatment plant in Finland with two parallel treatment lines. It found that there were fluctuations in species richness and diversity in the effluent samples, with a marked decrease observed between August and November. The study also showed differences in removal rates between conventional activated sludge treatment and membrane bioreactor treatment.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Asma Alenzi, Colin Hunter, Janice Spencer, Joanne Roberts, John Craft, Ole Pahl, Ania Escudero
Summary: The study found that environmental pharmaceuticals can lead to instability and VFA accumulation in anaerobic digestion. Additionally, the microbial composition of AD is affected, influencing biogas production.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
M. Cobo-Golpe, M. Ramil, R. Cela, I. Rodriguez
Summary: This article presents a fast and sensitive chiral analysis method for determining eight pharmaceuticals in wastewater and sludge samples. The compounds are separated using supercritical fluid chromatography combined with time-of-flight mass spectrometry detection. Methanol and ammonia are used as modifiers in the mobile phase. The method allows for the analysis of eight pairs of enantiomers in 15.5 minutes and has been successfully applied to the analysis of wastewater and sludge samples.
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY A
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Mozhdeh Alipour, Hossein Asadi, Chengrong Chen, Ali Asghar Besalatpour
Summary: The use of biochar and hydrochar as organic soil fertilizers is increasing in popularity, but little research has been done on the removal of organic pollutants. This study found that pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization are promising methods for removing organic pollutants from sludges, particularly with pyrolysis at high temperatures leading to complete removal of the pollutants.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fei Wang, Zheyun Yin, Yarui Liu, Hongwen Sun, Hongkai Zhu, Hao Chen, Kai Zhang
Summary: Hydrochars were prepared from municipal sewage sludge by hydrothermal carbonization treatment. The study found that reaction temperature had a greater impact on the properties of hydrochars and the presence of PPCPs than reaction time. The hydrothermal process effectively reduced the load of PPCPs in hydrochars, except for caffeine and acetaminophen, with their concentrations being affected by the reaction temperature.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Joan Carles Nadal, Kimberley L. Anderson, Stuart Dargo, Irvin Joas, Daniela Salas, Francesc Borrull, Peter A. G. Cormack, Rosa Maria Marce, Nuria Fontanals
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY A
(2020)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Josep Borrull, Agusti Colom, Josepa Fabregas, Francesc Borrull, Eva Pocurull
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY A
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura Vallecillos, Anna Borrull, Rosa Maria Marce, Francesc Borrull
Summary: Passive sampling combined with thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) was used to monitor emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) and solvents in indoor environments of both conventional and vocational training schools. Experimental diffusive uptake rates of target compounds were determined successfully, and concentrations of EOCs and solvents were found to be higher in the vocational training school compared to the conventional school. Cleaning products (conventional school) and classroom activities (vocational training school) were identified as the main sources of EOCs and solvents.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Miriam Hidalgo-Serrano, Francesc Borrull, Rosa Maria Marce, Eva Pocurull
Summary: This article presents a new analytical method for simultaneously extracting multiple phthalate diesters and monoesters from highly consumed seafood, which has been validated for seafood with different lipid contents. The method showed high apparent recoveries and low matrix effect values for all compounds, with detection limits ranging from 1-25 ng g(-1) dry weight. Five seafood species were successfully analyzed using this method, revealing concentrations of phthalate diesters up to 982 ng g(-1) (d.w.) and phthalate monoesters up to 178 ng g(-1) (d.w.).
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Iria Gonzalez-Marino, Leticia Ares, Rosa Montes, Rosario Rodil, Rafael Cela, Ester Lopez-Garcia, Cristina Postigo, Miren Lopez de Alda, Eva Pocurull, Rosa Maria Marce, Lubertus Bijlsma, Felix Hernandez, Yolanda Pico, Vicente Andreu, Andreu Rico, Yolanda Valcarcel, Manuel Miro, Nestor Etxebarria, Jose Benito Quintana
Summary: This study estimated human exposure to phthalates in the Spanish population using a wastewater-based epidemiology approach, revealing that some metabolite exposure levels exceeded the daily exposure thresholds set by the European Food Safety Authority.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lubertus Bijlsma, Yolanda Pico, Vicente Andreu, Alberto Celma, Andrea Estevez-Danta, Iria Gonzalez-Marino, Felix Hernandez, Miren Lopez de Alda, Ester Lopez-Garcia, Rosa Maria Marce, Manuel Miro, Rosa Montes, Unai Perez de San Roman-Landa, Elena Pitarch, Eva Pocurull, Cristina Postigo, Ailette Prieto, Andreu Rico, Rosario Rodil, Yolanda Valcarcel, Mireia Ventura, Jose Benito Quintana
Summary: The data obtained from wastewater analysis can provide rapid insights into illicit drug consumption at the community level. A national wastewater monitoring program was implemented in Spain to understand spatial differences and trends in drug use, with cannabis and cocaine being the most commonly consumed drugs in the country. Regional variations were observed, such as higher levels of methamphetamine in Barcelona and amphetamine in Bilbao, indicating different primary drugs in these metropolitan areas.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Nuria Fontanals, Eva Pocurull, Francesc Borrull, Rosa Maria Marce
Summary: Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) is a widely used extraction technique for determining contaminants in environmental solid samples. Clean-up strategies are essential to remove interferences and avoid matrix effects. Different clean-up strategies have been used in PLE over the past 10 years, and this review critically discusses their strengths and weaknesses to help readers select the most suitable technique for a specific environmental analytical problem.
TRENDS IN ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yandi Fu, Francesc Borrull, Rosa Maria Marce, Naria Fontanals
Summary: This review discusses the determination and analysis of enantiomeric fractions of chiral drugs in environmental matrices using chiral liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. It provides a comprehensive overview and comparison of various techniques, addresses advancements and limitations, and explores the impact of the mobile phase composition on enantioseparation and MS detection. Various applications of chiral LC and MS for enantiomeric fraction determination of chiral drugs in environmental samples are also discussed in depth.
TRENDS IN ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
N. Fontanals, J. Zohar, F. Borrull, S. Ronka, R. M. Marce
Summary: This study introduces a novel mixed-mode weak cation-exchange (WCX) material prepared by functionalizing a mesoporous divinylbenzene (DVB) resin with maleic acid. The material showed good recovery rates and low matrix effects in the solid-phase extraction (SPE) of basic drugs from environmental water samples. The optimized protocol coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) proved effective in quantifying basic drugs in different environmental water samples.
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY A
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mireia Nunez, Nuria Fontanals, Francesc Borrull, Rosa Maria Marcie
Summary: A multiresidue analytical method was developed to determine 22 compounds in indoor dust. Organophosphate esters and phthalate esters were the most abundant compounds, with DEHP being found at the highest concentrations. Risk assessments showed no risks in most scenarios, except for possible carcinogenic risk from ingestion of DEHP in the worst-case scenario.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Alberto Moral, Francesc Borrull, Kenneth G. Furton, Abuzar Kabir, Nuria Fontanals, Rosa Maria Marce
Summary: In this study, four novel mixed-mode zwitterionic silica-based sorbents were synthesized and evaluated for the determination of acidic and basic drugs in environmental water samples. The sorbents showed effective retention of both acidic and basic compounds, with selective retention of basic compounds achieved through ionic exchange interactions. The optimized solid-phase extraction (SPE) method using the best-performing sorbents was validated for the analysis of river and effluent wastewater samples, demonstrating satisfactory recoveries, low detection limits, and good repeatability and reproducibility.
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY A
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Alba Maceira, Francesc Borrull, Rosa Maria Marce
Summary: This paper examines the occurrence of organic contaminants bonded to particulate matter in ambient air, focusing on their sources, fates, and distributions. It emphasizes the importance of being aware of the presence of these contaminants in outdoor air for establishing new guidelines and reassessing existing limitations.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura Vallecillos, Rosa Maria Marce, Francesc Borrull
Summary: This study focuses on the implementation of a gas chromatograph-photoionization detection (GC-PID) analyzer for the continuous monitoring of 1,3-butadiene (1,3-BD) levels in urban and industrial atmospheres. The study found that the concentrations of 1,3-BD recorded by the GC-PID analyzer were comparable to those obtained by active sampling, and the concentration peaks showed consistency in values and time slots. In the test of urban atmospheres, the results showed that the concentrations of 1,3-BD were related to prevailing wind direction and activities in the petrochemical zone, while other factors had minor effects on the distribution of this pollutant.
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2024)
